What was the first real virus you got? What was its name and what did it do?
My first one was I think on Windows 95 and all it seemed to do was repeat explitives out of my computer speakers.
My second one was on Windows 98. It corrupted all digital media and web development data on a work station.
Since then I haven't been aware of any malicious activities on my computer, though I've come close I think. By the time Kazaa came around I was thankfully already pretty clued in on what not to do on my computers. :D I was into application piracy around that time but did my best to stay safe. Eventually one day I thought "really, what the heck am I doing running random EXE crack files from Russia?" Since then I've been all legit. :feelsgoodman: Using discarded ancient versions of Photoshop and Dreamweaver in my earlier days wasn't always fun, though.
But let us hold a moment of silence for everyone in our lives who tried to open "Britney.Spears-Im.A.Slave.4.U.mp3.exe"
That trick still works on people, actually. I've always held it against Microsoft that they hide file extensions by default.
What was your first real virus?
+6---------------------------------------- Business Products Sr. Community Leader and Expert Advisor - WSA-Enterprise administrator over 2000 clients First company to 1000+ WSA endpoints | Power User / Business Ambassador / WSA-C and WSA-E Beta tester Find me on Twitter!
My first was the old Happy 99 bug. I don't recall the nefarious actions that it did offhand other than the fireworks. The AV I used back then was able to remove it, but it neglected to repair the registry. Hmpff... no .exe's worked after that.
At the time, I was running a small computer repair and build shop with a partner. It didn't take us long to figure out how to manually remove the bugger instead of relying on the not-so-efficient AV software, and repair the Winsock and Registry. I had a floppy disk that I put together with registry keys for Windows 95 and 98 to import into disinfected machines to repair that part of it. We got pretty good at it too.. as there were a LOT of people who were hit with that bug. 5 minutes or so of work, $50.00 charge for virus removal.. yeah, Happy99 paid the rent for a few months ;)
Malware has become a lot more sophisticated since then!
At the time, I was running a small computer repair and build shop with a partner. It didn't take us long to figure out how to manually remove the bugger instead of relying on the not-so-efficient AV software, and repair the Winsock and Registry. I had a floppy disk that I put together with registry keys for Windows 95 and 98 to import into disinfected machines to repair that part of it. We got pretty good at it too.. as there were a LOT of people who were hit with that bug. 5 minutes or so of work, $50.00 charge for virus removal.. yeah, Happy99 paid the rent for a few months ;)
Malware has become a lot more sophisticated since then!
+56Well I have to say I have never been infected with that said I did infect my system when XP first came out and the malware that I used deleted the OS so I took the drive out and put it into a well protected Win 2000 pc and all the files were intact like pictures and documents but the OS was gone and the infection was gone I will not say what AV I was using at the time but it was detected but I let it run. Kids don't do this at home! :S
TH
TH
It was a prank type virus in my case. I was 12 at the time I think. It was a renamable executable that cranked your volume to maximum and played a recording of some guy shouting "HEY EVERYBODY! I'M LOOKING AT PORNO!" My parents were in the next room at the time, and my dad wandered in with a befuddled look on his face, looked at me, shook his head, and walked off.
Then when I was about 14 I had to teach myself how to get rid of a piece of ransomware before the parents got home one day. That was an experience.
Then when I was about 14 I had to teach myself how to get rid of a piece of ransomware before the parents got home one day. That was an experience.
/// JimM /// /// Former Community Manager - Now Humble Internet Citizen/// /// Also Formerly a Technical Support Escalations Engineer ///
+6That might have been mine, but I recall it saying something about features of the male body. Memory isn't perfect, though.
What were you doing on the internet that caused you to have to remove ransomeware from the computer?@ wrote:
Then when I was about 14 I had to teach myself how to get rid of a piece of ransomware before the parents got home one day. That was an experience.
I honestly can't remember specifically what I was doing at the time. That was quite a long time ago. I want to say I was looking for a game, but I ended up with a piece of Fake AV* trying to get me to pay for it.
*Should have said Fake AV to start with. Ransomware isn't really the right term for that.
*Should have said Fake AV to start with. Ransomware isn't really the right term for that.
/// JimM /// /// Former Community Manager - Now Humble Internet Citizen/// /// Also Formerly a Technical Support Escalations Engineer ///
Well I was lucky enough, I never had a real infection yet. However I have to admit that I brought to a halt my past computers a few times. I had a lot applications installed which conflicted in such a degree to screw my computers. Fortunately this period is behind me already ... :D
+35- OpenText Employee
The first malware that I was infected with was the Nimda worm in 2001. I worked the internal help desk at the company I was working for at the time, and was actually writing an email telling users to update their AV sigs when I got hit from a compromised website.
I've intentionally (and on occasion unintentionally) infected myself countless times since, but that is the only time I can remember being infected that wasn't a direct result of researching malware.
-Dan
I've intentionally (and on occasion unintentionally) infected myself countless times since, but that is the only time I can remember being infected that wasn't a direct result of researching malware.
-Dan
Webroot Threat Research
+6HAHA, remember when we had to tell people to update their virus definitions? How crazy was that?
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My first infection happened when I was a teenager. (and yes, I think it was a .mp3.exe 😳 )
It was the 90's and we had just gotten dial-up. I downloaded a stealth dialer infection. My parents had not heard this type of virus, resulting in them confronting me about about calling adult lines in foreign countries. One of the most embarrassing conversations in my memory. I did finally convince them it wasn't me since for some hours in the 14 hours' call I had an alibi. Fortunately the phone company refunded the charge. Glad to see dial-up fading into the distance these days.
It was the 90's and we had just gotten dial-up. I downloaded a stealth dialer infection. My parents had not heard this type of virus, resulting in them confronting me about about calling adult lines in foreign countries. One of the most embarrassing conversations in my memory. I did finally convince them it wasn't me since for some hours in the 14 hours' call I had an alibi. Fortunately the phone company refunded the charge. Glad to see dial-up fading into the distance these days.
_______________________________________ Sophia C Product Manager
+5Some would say that I was the first real virus :p
I messed around with known viruses trying to see what they did and how to remove them...I also "experimented" with my registry and other "you shouldn't touch that" files...
I really enjoyed seeing what the malware/virus did and worked on disabling it manually...all offline/off network of course...I got pretty good at knocking them out and recovering the system.
It was messing with computers or rolling some 20 sided dice. ;)
I messed around with known viruses trying to see what they did and how to remove them...I also "experimented" with my registry and other "you shouldn't touch that" files...
I really enjoyed seeing what the malware/virus did and worked on disabling it manually...all offline/off network of course...I got pretty good at knocking them out and recovering the system.
It was messing with computers or rolling some 20 sided dice. ;)
+24I dealt with the popular autorun/recycler/ folder cloner thingy
Influenza (a/k/a the "flu"). Got it last year shortly after I had the shot. Fever, diarrhea, you name it! Knocked the crap out of me (quite literally). I was sick for days. :(
Otherwise, (knock on wood), I've never been infected. :D
(Yeah, I know, pretty lame, but someone had to say it!)
Otherwise, (knock on wood), I've never been infected. :D
(Yeah, I know, pretty lame, but someone had to say it!)
My first virus was the Michael Angelo virus, I vaguely remember another about Smiley Face but it was 20+ years ago. The Michael Angelo virus I copied onto a floppy and wrote on the sticky label "BIO HAZARD" (720k - Blue - If you can remember lol) just in case someone p1$$ed me off. I never got to use it and it ended in the bin years ago.
The one that's causing me the most head aches is the UKash Virus.... Grrr.
The one that's causing me the most head aches is the UKash Virus.... Grrr.
I had mono one time years ago. That sucked!!!@ wrote:
Influenza (a/k/a the "flu"). Got it last year shortly after I had the shot. Fever, diarrhea, you name it! Knocked the crap out of me (quite literally). I was sick for days. :(
Otherwise, (knock on wood), I've never been infected. :D
(Yeah, I know, pretty lame, but someone had to say it!)
The doctor said that most people have it when they are real young, and you have nothing more than normal cold symptoms. The older you get, the worse it gets. Stupid me waited until I around 23 or 24 to get it.
Computer virus: I have no idea what my first one was. I kicked it out of my machine and kept on trucking.
+13The first piece of malware that made one of my first computers unsuable,was "Hybris".A very nasty poly virus,that as far as I remember was some of the most sophisticated at that time.It was one of those,that suddenly went into action after a specific date.Then it presented a big spiral that filled the screen,so the computer was impossible to use.**bleep** I was angry at "Hybris".
Good weekend to everybody.:D
:D
Good weekend to everybody.:D
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